I LOVE TRAFFIC!!!

No..it’s not a trick title or gimmick to get you to read my blog…well…..maybe there is a little of that going on but, truth be told, I have learned over the years to appreciate being stuck in traffic, enduring a long commute, or standing in a long line at a random retail store.

Nope….no litttle happy pills, no wacky tobacky (I never could spell this version of tobacco!) no secret nips, just the appreciation of being forced to slow down and breathe. Yes…I know it sounds “out there”, ” new age” and you probably don’t believe me and that’s okay.

But don’t knock it until you have tried it. Instead of grumbling, screaming, panicking, or just being miserable, take 5 – 10 deep breaths and see what happens. What do you have to lose? You’re going to be sitting there no matter what, so why not work on proving me wrong???

Notice the subtle physical shifts first, like how your shoulders begin to drop away from your ears and relax, how your face softens, how those lines between your eyebrows begins to smooth out, fists relax and perhaps the corners of your mouth turn up on each side and a smile begins to form.

Then begin to notice the internal shifts, like how your breath slows; your pulse becomes more steady and this foreign, peaceful feeling begins to envelope you.

Use this time to let go of the day that just ended….it’s over….let it go. And don’t use the time to think about tomorrow….it’s the future and hasn’t happened yet. You cannot control it or change it. Just be in the present moment and take the time to appreciate where you are in your life.

I recently reconnected with a grade school friend, a person who, in our youth, I deeply liked, and she mentioned her commute…no names mentioned, but you know who you are and I wanted to share what I have learned over the years. That in the big scheme of things….it will all be okay if you just learn to come back to your breath.

This is for you, old chum…..rather than use your energy to resent or regret, put it to better use and simply “be”.